Billy Bunks

Billy Bunks is a character. There are no two ways about it. Melbourne’s resident rapscallion regularly resounds foul, alcohol-soaked raps over the grimiest of beats. His latest offering, Spit And Gristle captures the essence of this deviant individual through 13 filthy tracks and one Gargs remix. But scratching deeper than the sordid surface reveals a particularly charming sense of humour, unique flow and an ol’ fashioned willingness to tell a rip snorter of a story. Parental guidance is probably advised.

Spit And Gristle is certainly a long-anticipated release. Why the wait?
I’d like to say its because I’ve got billions of white hot irons in the fire. In between working full time, I’m currently finishing my fourth novel, learning a 5th language and in training for one of those birdman competitions where you jump off a bridge, but that would be a filthy fly blown lie. ‘Lazy bones’ is the main reason with ‘couldn’t really be fucked’ coming a close second and ‘got better things to do’ bringing up the rear. Better things to do, being of course, sit around.

Have you been satisfied with the response to Spit And Gristle, Were you even looking for widespread attention or is that secondary to making the brand of music you believe in?
Yeah I’ve been getting good feedback from people, which I’m glad about. No one wants to put out an album and have every man and his pooch tell them its worse than a wasp up the knob. Although having said that, I can’t say widespread attention is what I was after. Do I even have it? I dunno. I just make the kind of shit I like to hear, I think. I mean, fuck its piece of cake, I merely write down whatever is going through my head when I’m gripping that rank bic in my disgusting, greasy, nostril fresh finger tips and ramble it off on a beat. So easy.

Can you give an insight into the recording process of the album?
Why sure, I’d be delighted in indulging in telling the general public the hidden secrets that have made Billy Bunks a multi-foil selling artist. Nostril fresh fingertips grab bics and write raps. Beats get sent from Brisbane’s Nick One. Champion of the people Bunks records raps over said beats at Broken Tooth studios in Melbourne. Nick gets the accapella files, fucks around with the beats, a bit, then Ciecmate gets that shit back and gets it ready to publish. So awesome. I’ve got a boner just thinking about it.

Was it a conscious decision to have one producer, Nick One, to handle all the production or were other producers originally going to be involved?
Yeah, well…Nick had heard some of my 100% lyrical rap attacks on some shit somewhere and had sent me some beats to see if I wanted to do an MC killer hot 16 to da max rap attack on some shit he was working on at the time. I liked the beats he had sent so asked him to send me more. Are people actually interested in this shit? So he sent me more beats which, I liked. They made me want to write, so I asked him, more or less, if he’d like to produce the whole album, to which he agreed. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I have many of my favourite producers at my disposal, Tornts, Ciecmate, Trigga Trials, Joey Gargs, DJ Name Drop and so on, so I didn’t really need Nick One, per se, to do the lot, but I liked his sound, and I think it worked well.

A lot of the concepts you cover are repulsive, to civilised society at least, is this a style you have purposely crafted?
Drinking, women, mucking around, perversion…it seems to me, mankind embraces these subjects without a worry or a care. Civilised society however, which is what an arrogant section of mankind likes to call itself, like to think they are above all these carryings on, these tasteless escapades and dalliances. I say to you, that despite their denials, not only are they not repulsed, they are in fact indulge in the goings on and vices mentioned. Good old fashioned get you kicked out of Eden indulgence, if you will. As for throwing shit at each other, you only need to look at our closest living relative, the chimp. Fling that shit. So to answer your question, I guess I did craft my style around a few of the many aspects cunting humans can lay claim to. How does that sound? Worlds worst animal.

Are all the stories you tell personally experienced or is it left to the discretion of the listener to distinguish between fact and fiction?
Besides Filthy Man, the stories and shit on the album are either true or largely based on actual events. Obviously there is a bit of dramatic effect used here and there, like ‘where I fucked her in the park now the grass don’t grow’…in actual fact it was merely a couple of willows that died, there’s still some grass in spots.

Is alcohol an essential ingredient in your lyric-writing process?
No way. Not a fucking chance. I have never written a song drunk nor hungover, not so much as a single line, and I will not, shall not, can not, ever EVER will. How dare you insinuate such absurdities. Performing live shows drunk is an equally preposterous notion.

“…After all, it is street music that’s spilled into the big flash recording studios, so unfortunately you get all these fucking so and so’s trying to copy that boom crash opera overproduced pantomime bullshit, when in actual fact, you know, they’re from round here. The cunt lives down the road, he buys mixed lollies from the same shop I do…”

On Devil’s Clay, you rhyme about slinging shit at strangers, what inspired you to cover such a subject and later, make a filmclip for it?
One time I was drinking on a roof because it was a nice day and a good view, but far too much effort to climb down. I climbed, I shat, I flung. To be honest I wrote the track as a fuck around, muck around kind of thing, and decided to record it for a laugh. I didn’t think it’d get this much attention. The clip wasn’t my idea, someone in Brisbane thought of it and wanted to do it. I was like ‘I hope I don’t get remembered as the guy who did the throwing shit at people track’. But that’s cool, not long ago I didn’t want to be remembered as the guy who wrote Dr Suckbooze and Legionnaires Cap Gangstaz before that. So who knows whats around the corner. Hopefully now I’ve got a few rank waxy ears leaning this way for my next move.

Did you receive any confused inquiries from passers-by during the production of the clip for Devil’s Clay? Any stories?
Not that I can recall. I think the cameraman strained his sight for focusing too close and had too look at something far away for a while, and maybe some birds were looking a bit too pecky at one point. I was drunk most of the time. 750 Rebels are a pack of untrained beasts.

Can you breakdown the ideas behind the track Hookers?
Its more or less just about how rap these days has grown fruitier with its popularity, and its starting to sound less like how it was when I got into it with that grimey 90’s feel, which to me is where all the appeal is. After all, it is street music that’s spilled into the big flash recording studios, so unfortunately you get all these fucking so and so’s trying to copy that boom crash opera overproduced pantomime bullshit, when in actual fact, you know, they’re from round here. The cunt lives down the road, he buys mixed lollies from the same shop I do…whats he sounding like that for? The Bay area has a sound, New York has a sound, Melbourne has a sound, so does Brisbane and so on. I don’t want to sound corny, but really this shits about representing. Are you representing you and where you’re from, or are you representing a fairy tale?

You lament the perpetual absence of an ideal lady on the track Strumpets, describe the perfect woman.
I dunno. A good cook, who is smart and good for a laugh. Preferably brunette. Nothing large and towering. Not into hip hop, haha. Looks and smells good. That’s not too much to ask is it? Oh yeah, and none of those stoner bitches who call you ‘man’ or ‘mate’, all dribbling with like, a dreadlock with beads…‘whaat are ya doooin maaan?’ tuckin that rank flea ridden wick behind their ear. Vile. Rocking that rank knitwear. Get out of here.

Your role-model ‘credentials’ are presented on Tell The Kids. Could you condense your advice to future generations into one sentence?
Jesus, what about…get interested and involved in the world, however you want, ‘coz that’s all there is.

If someone were to examine the life of Billy Bunks thus far, would there be a specific point where ‘it all went wrong’-so to speak? Was this point being introduced to hip hop?
No, I don’t think its all gone wrong at all. Certainly not because of hip hop. That’s done nothing but given me something to do, a fuck load of good times, a common bond with mates all over the country, its had me all over getting blind and having a ball, and more. I think it encourages people to be proud of what they can do and stick up for what they believe in, which is why it gets my goat when you see all these fake fruity cunts pissing in its face. I’m pretty happy with my life, I’ve got good mates, I have a laugh, I got an income, I can get a feed when I want one, throw one in now and then and I’m right. Of course we all want more from time to time, but by and large I’m happy with the way things have gone and are going. Once you accept the fact losses and lows are part of the deal, its perfect. You know, Spit & Gristle isn’t a fully comprehensive insight into me, its just one part I’m letting cunts have a look at. If you don’t know me, its because that’s how I want it. I’m not one to flop it all out in the public arena. I assume of course that you’re referring to the sookier tracks on the album.

And finally, what is your poison of choice and why?
Look, I’m not a man of fine and fancy tastes. I’ve never been one to pick the pheasant with the pigeon liver pate. I don’t own a stable of only silver stallions. Most of the cutlery I’ve eaten with has been made of steel. Get me a Carlton Draught and I’m happy. A long neck, coz there’s more of it. Brought down to me on a platter of the finest sterling silver trimmed with black rhinoceros ivory and inlaid with rubies and gems, accompanied on its descent from above with the heavenly trumpeting of Gabriel himself, and I reckon that would pretty much do me.

Billy Bunks, Hired Goons, Booze Bastards…The Gargoyle is coming.

www.myspace.com/billybunksbte